What Foods Do Reptiles Eat?

What Foods Do Reptiles Eat?. Some reptiles like iguanas are vegans, while other reptiles such as leopard geckos and tortoises eat animal protein as well. Feeding your reptile the proper type of food is important for maintaining its health. Avoid feeding processed foods specially made for reptiles such as canned reptile food and pellets. Reptiles do much better with a raw-food diet and real-food diet.

Iguanas

Iguanas demand an exacting vegan diet. They eat no animal protein or insects of any kind. Feed iguanas dark, leafy greens such as dandelion greens, mustard greens, collards and turnip tops. They can also eat vegetables such as squash, carrots and green beans. Chop the greens up into large chunks. Use a food processor to chop up the vegetables into small pieces.

Leopard Geckos

Leopard geckos eat crickets, mealworms and wax worms. Crickets are the first choice for feeding leopard geckos because they are easy to gut-load. Gut loading means that the crickets are fed a nutritious diet before feeding them to your reptile. The process of gut loading takes about a day or two. When eaten, the nutrients pass from the cricket to the reptile.

Tortoises

Tortoises eat mostly a vegetarian diet. Again, dark, leafy greens are optimal for tortoises. Choose dandelion greens, turnip tops, mustard greens and romaine. Add in some finely chopped vegetables such as carrots, squashes and parsnips. Redfoot tortoises can tolerate a small amount of protein such as a little bit of canned dog food or a superworm. Avoid giving Hermann tortoises any legumes such as peas or beans. These contain too much protein. Avoid feeding iceberg lettuce because it has little to no nutritional value.

Diet Considerations

Diet demands and needs can change according to the reptile's age. Young hatchlings generally require a lot of food, while older, more sedentary reptiles will require less food. Younger lizards also require higher levels of protein. You can find most foods that you feed your reptile in your refrigerator. Include items like tomatoes, sweet potatoes and yams to the basic diet of dark, leafy greens, and your reptile should be quite happy. With a healthy and consistent diet, most reptiles can live up to 20 years.

References

• Reptile Care: Reptile Foods
• "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians"; Liz Palika; 1998.